Environmental Concern and Pro-Environmental Behavior in Kazakhstan: The Role of Values and Social Axioms

There is a wide range of pressing environmental issues in Kazakhstan, they include the deterioration of land resources, nuclear pollution, bad air quality in cities and water scarcity. While the government is taking measures to solve these problems, the action taken is insufficient and needs more attention not only of official bodies, but the population. People’s attention to environmental problems and pro-environmental behaviors are largely influenced by their values and beliefs. Therefore, this research studied the effect of values and social axioms on environmental concern and pro-environmental behavior. Regression analysis showed that the values of Security and Self-Direction and the political values of Civil Liberties and Free Enterprise mainly drive environmental concern. Some values can also directly predict personal norms and pro-environmental behaviors. Based on respondent scores on values and social axioms, four profiles of Kazakhstanis who differ in their environmental concern, norms and pro-environmental behavior, were identified.